1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a management system for an image-forming apparatus connected to a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
A management system can manage operational statuses of various image-forming apparatuses (printers, copying machines, multifunction peripherals, etc.) which are located at various locations. The management system collects operational status information from image-forming apparatuses and provides services according to each operational status.
One of the services provided by a management system is to present a resolution method that suits for a failure having occurred in an image-forming apparatus. As discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-296082, if any error occurs in an image-forming apparatus, the image-forming apparatus automatically starts error resolution processing or automatically presents a manual resolution method to a user.
According to this conventional method, the server performs a centralized management of error resolution programs and manual resolution methods. If any error occurs in an image-forming apparatus, the image-forming apparatus transmits error information to the server. The server transmits a response including a resolution program relating to the notified error to the image-forming apparatus. The image-forming apparatus executes the received resolution program to enable the system to recover from failure without relying on a user's support.
Furthermore, as discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-150643, a supervisory control system performs remote supervisory control for an information-processing system and, if any failure information is received, generates a processing procedure for enabling the information-processing system to recover from failure.
According to this conventional method, the supervisory control system collates the obtained failure information with failure precedents stored in its server. Then, if there is any failure precedent according with the obtained failure information, the supervisory control system generates a recommendable failure recovery procedure and transmits the generated recovery procedure to the information-processing system. Therefore, an appropriate recovery procedure can be presented to a service engineer when the service engineer arrives at a location where the information-processing system is located.
In an image-forming apparatus management system, if any failure occurs in an image-forming apparatus, the image-forming apparatus notifies a management server of the occurrence of a failure. The management server accumulates notified information (e.g., failure contents). For example, the management server provides a portal screen that enables an administrator to view supervisory information of an image-forming apparatus and to dispatch a service engineer to the location where the information-processing apparatus is located.
When a service engineer arrives at a client office or facility, the first thing the service engineer needs to do is to check the content of failure and resolution method(s) such as cause(s) and operational procedure(s). However, due to security enhancement in a recent work environment, service engineers are not basically allowed to bring a portable computer into a client's office or facility where a failed image-forming apparatus is located. Furthermore, it is generally difficult for a service engineer to use a client's computer during a repair or maintenance work for the failed image-forming apparatus.
According to the conventional system discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-296082, the information that the server can supply to a user is limited to error resolution program(s) and manual resolution method(s) that suit for errors having ever occurred in image-forming apparatuses. However, the repair or maintenance work at an image-forming apparatus performed by a service engineer is not limited to failure recovery operations. To check every performance of an image-forming apparatus, a service engineer is required to be frequently communicate with a management server to obtain various information and data for the image-forming apparatus.
If it is difficult for a service engineer to access a management server to view image-forming apparatus information, the service engineer checks necessary information and prepares documents and related things beforehand. However, it is impossible for a service engineer to prepare all of the necessary documents including any documents necessary for possible events occurring at the location where the service engineer works. Furthermore, if a service engineer immediately requires a specific document that is not prepared, there is no way for the service engineer to get it.
To reduce such a burden placed on a service engineer, it is desired to establish a system capable of easily viewing necessary information (type of failure, cause of failure, resolution method, etc.) at the location where a failed image-forming apparatus is located. In addition, it is desired to establish a system that enables an administrator to easily view and confirm the information about maintenance processing performed by a service engineer.
Furthermore, before a service engineer visits a client office or facility, the service engineer reads a service manual (document prepared for a service engineer), which describes resolution methods in association with various failures to enable each service engineer to accurately know the contents of failures and resolution methods (causes, operational procedures, etc.), and prepares necessary replacement parts and tools according to the service manual.
According to the conventional system discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-150643, the supervisory control system generates resolution method(s) upon detecting the occurrence of a failure and promptly transmits the generated resolution method(s) to a failed information-processing system. However, other failure may occur after a service engineer has been dispatched to a client's office or facility. In such a case, it is difficult to notify the service engineer of information relating to a newly occurred failure. Furthermore, a service engineer completes a maintenance work by summarizing maintenance results into an operational report (a report describing the contents of operations having been done). In any case, a service engineer is required to return and come again with necessary information newly acquired.